True Love
by probablyawful
Summary: The sequel to What You're Missing Out On. The boys celebrate New Year's together, and get to catch up on everything that has happened since that faithful LA trip. Warnings inside.


**A/N: Okay, so that Christmas episode made it surprisingly easy to write this sequel. Not as easy as Dynamic Duets, of course, but still easy. That is all I can say. So, in this fic I had to try to make sense of RIB's logic, which is not an easy thing to do.**

**This fic isn't either Quinn or Blaine-friendly. You've been warned. They've both been pissing me off lately.**

**Also keep in mind that I know basically nothing about New Year's Eve in New York, other than what I have seen in New Year's Eve (yeah, that movie with Lea Michele in the hot red dress). I know that is bad writer's research, but hell… I am not the best writer out there anyway.**

**One more thing: I use "Noah" a lot instead of "Puck". Don't even know why, but it changes occasionally. For instance, it's mostly Puck when writing from his POV. IDK, Noah is a nice name and I like to use it. I'm just shallow, I guess.**

**Warnings: Sexual situations, mentions of prostitution and illness.**

"I'm going back to Lima."

"My dad has prostate cancer."

The sentences were spoken in unison, reserved by different reactions as Kurt and Noah were seated, phone in hand, catching up on whatever had been going on in the other's life during Christmas and Hanukkah. They were both silent for a moment, until they spoke again, still in unison:

"Kurt, I…"

"That's great."

Noah gave a somewhat concerned chuckle at the nature of their conversation. Dragging his hand over his shaved head, he found out it would be okay to ask: "How bad is it?"

Kurt swallowed down the lump in his throat that just seemed to have been stuck there for the past days. "Not bad," he said, and he tried to keep his voice light and easy, but in reality he knew there was no use. Noah wouldn't fall for it, - "They caught it early."

Noah nodded slowly, until he realized Kurt couldn't see him. "Well, good!" he said, - "I mean… Then he stands a good chance of…"

He didn't want to say more. Didn't want to imply that there also was the slightest chance that Kurt's father, the only person to really have stood there with and for him through everything, in a few months could be fading away to nothingness in a cold, white hospital room. Only the thought on its own made him shudder.

"I know," Kurt said, but he didn't sound all that convinced either, - "It's just… He had a heart attack only a couple of years ago and…" He heaved a sigh, - "I don't even know what to do…"

His voice had become a lot smaller now, and in all honesty, if Puck had it his way, he would drive his way to New York in an instant only to scoop Kurt up in his arms and hold him and tell him… Something, anything that would imply that it would all be okay. But he couldn't do that. Not only because it would be somewhat irrational, but also because he had no way of knowing whether or not this would all actually _be _okay. He wasn't the brightest crayon in the box, but what Kurt had said somehow made sense. He just hated having his… whatever they were feel as helpless as he seemed to now.

He guessed now was the moment to say something, anything, but truth was, he didn't really have any clue what to say.

"Kurt, I'm sorry."

It seemed like the _right_ thing to say, at least. "Look, I know that is a fucking cliché or whatever, but I really mean it…"

"I know," Kurt said, sounding more like his old self now, - "Thank you."

There was a silence, which Kurt broke: "Wait? You're moving back home."

Noah shrugged. "Guess so," he stated, almost dryly.

"What happened?" Noah knew he had never heard Kurt sound so serious. He had to fight back the roll of his eyes at his boy's irrational worry.

"Nothing 'happened'," he said, mocking Kurt's dramatically concerned tone. – "I just…" Now it was his turn to sigh, - "I just need to figure some shit out. Long story, doesn't make any sense…"

Kurt gave a soft chuckle. "I miss you, Noah," he said after another break.

"Hey," Noah said, in an attempt to lighten the mood, - "Only a few days left now, and then I'm yours for the week!"

Kurt laughed heartedly. "Can't wait," he said, and Puck could practically hear the sincere smile showing on his face.

There was a long silence between them. There was so much that could be said. Not that they hadn't kept in touch over the course of the past month, but every aspect of their downright complicated (and that was a subtle description) long-distance relationship felt so much realer now than it had since Kurt and Rachel went back to New York. They were going to see each other in just four days. In four days only, they would go back to the same Utopia they had found themselves in a month ago and that they both had missed for a longer while than either of them was comfortable with.

Sure, their situation was anything but ideal. In an ideal world they would see each other all the time, they would have money and an apartment suit for both of them and they would be at the same place in life, emotionally as physically, and let's call the Cadillac pink and get down to it: In an ideal world none of them would be a prostitute.

So technically, they didn't even like calling this a relationship. Scratch that. _Noah_ didn't like calling whatever it was they had a relationship. Now, the solid combination of Noah Puckerman and distance from commitment didn't exactly surprise anyone, but that was actually, believe it or not, not even the issue or case here. He just found it ridiculous to call this thing between them a relationship, solely based on the reason that he made a fucking living out of cheating on Kurt. And that wasn't just complicated, that was downright cruel in all aspects, and especially with the thought in mind that Kurt had already been cheated on this semester.

Kurt, on the other hand, claimed that he was a grown man now, he knew what this was, and while he too wished the circumstances were different, or more specifically, wished that Noah finally could get through that thick skull of his that he was good for something else than his body and what he was able to do with it, he knew that when all was said and done, the only person who could really do something about this, was Noah himself.

Noah did want too, though, that wasn't it. He did, and he had tried searching and applying for jobs at grocery stores and gas stations and so on, but after the umpteenth "the position is filled" –mail he got, he just decided that no, he wasn't really destined for better things than this. It sounded so simple, cliché and pathetic, but that didn't make it any less true. It was written in the stars for him, so damn clearly, like a big fat: "Don't even try!"

So he didn't anymore. This was his life, he was good at this, at least, and in some aspects he was comfortable with at least this kind of stability in his life.

He did feel more than a little shitty, though, when he was laying splayed on a bed with a middle-aged woman riding him into oblivion, telling him how he was made for this. Or as he was pressed against the wall of some dude's shower, crude comments poisoning his mind, as he felt the customer shoot his load, almost instantly making him regret letting him do this without a condom, and dreading his next doctor's appointment.

It wasn't just that it made him feel dirty. Fuck, if he was gonna be a pussy about that particular aspect of it, he should've started bitching and whining ages ago. What caused this utter self-loathing about this was the fact that he couldn't stop thinking about Kurt. Ever. And while he had done a lot of shitty things in his life, cheating on Kurt, whether Kurt knew about it or not, was definitely on his "top 5"-list.

So he did try. He tried to take as few clients as possible, which didn't really amount to all that few after all. Living in LA wasn't cheap, regardless of the fact that he had a fucking crappy apartment. Besides, living as a bum, what does that do to your self-esteem in the long run?

This was what he had going for him, and one day Kurt would wake up from whatever dream he was living in, and realize that as well.

Everyone else had before him.

**PKPKPK**

Kurt had decided to meet up at the airport as Noah's flight finally arrived. Noah had told him to just stay at his condo, and then he would make his way there, and at first, Kurt had considered it, but turned the offer down due to the simple fact that he couldn't wait any longer than necessary.

He knew it was irrational and it didn't make sense, but he really did love the other boy. Not the same way he had loved Blaine, but in a somewhat different way, which made sense, because with Noah everything was more complicated, which kind of was the prize to pay as everything else was definitely better.

He would've been lying if he had said that Noah's profession didn't bother him the slightest. It did, in all aspects. For one, because Noah's profession was anything but safe, in all definitions of the word; he had already found himself stuck in a few less than comfortable situations, and Kurt would be damned if anything more serious, he shuddered at the thought, was to happen to him.

It wasn't just that though. Hell, Noah had been doing this since he was fifteen years old. Not that that fact in particular made anything better in any way, but if anything, it at least meant Noah was used to this; knew his way around the profession somehow. Kurt almost rolled his eyes at himself whenever he referred to it as a profession, because that sounded far too solemn and also pretty fucking far from the reality it was. In truth, at least judging by the way Noah talked about it; his work was pretty casual despite the entire essence of it: Go somewhere or get a visit, fuck or get fucked, take the money and leave or have them leave. Pure and simple. At least it was supposed to be.

Although it wasn't; because whenever Kurt tried to tell himself all this, and make it convincing that he didn't have to worry, he found out there was no way in hell he would be able _not _to worry. And it wasn't only because Noah and he had this thing, that neither of them knew what was, going on; Kurt would have worried if any of his friends had found themselves stuck in this situation.

Or so he tried to tell himself, but that was another issue he wasn't all that comfortable with: Because he and Noah had been friends long before that faithful LA trip. They hadn't really discussed it, because Noah didn't really do discussions of that sort, but Kurt had considered Noah a friend from the end of sophomore year.

And Noah had his pool-cleaning business after sophomore year as well, and it was a well-known fact all around McKinley, maybe even all over Lima, that "pool-cleaning" had nothing to do with PH-balance.

It angered Kurt that no one had done or said anything to even try to put an end to what was basically child-prostitution, but then he slapped himself, because he hadn't really said or done anything in detriment of Noah's "profession" either. That in particular he had at least confronted Noah about, though, and he had only gotten the response that no one had the responsibility of taking care of him; he was not some kid.

And somehow that made sense, but at the same time, for whatever reason Kurt only had half the fathom of, it also very much didn't.

Everything somehow became a much bigger deal when he kept in mind that Noah had been fifteen years old when this started. By legal definitions of Ohio, still a child.

His thoughts were interrupted as he heard a very much familiar voice shout his name: "Kurt!"

He turned in the voice's direction, and he knew that was the hugest cliché ever, but he literally got that overwhelming, fluttering feeling in the pit of his stomach as he saw Noah standing only a few meters away from him. And it was yet another cliché, but right then and there nothing mattered anymore.

Kurt didn't really know if he even decided running, but before he knew it, he found himself with his arms latched round Noah's neck, and he felt the other man burying his face in his shoulder. "Fuck, I missed you." _And God, that voice. How he had missed that voice!_

"I missed you too," Kurt muttered, before he reluctantly pulled away to take a good look at his… Whatever it was that they were. "You look great!" he beamed, and it was true. Noah really did look great. Healthier than he had the last time Kurt saw him.

"I always do," Noah backfired, as he gave his signature cocky grin that made Kurt roll his eyes but that he at the same time, not that he'd ever admit it, had missed so very badly. "You don't look bad yourself."

"Of course I don't," Kurt said, attempting a bitch glare but smiling too much through it to make it seem even remotely legit.

They made their way back to Kurt and Rachel's apartment in a comfortable silence. Rachel was with Brody for the day, which Kurt thought was very much appropriate.

**PKPKPKPKPKPKPK**

"So your dad just came to you on Christmas Eve: 'Hey, Kurt! I brought your cheating ex-boyfriend, and by the way, I have cancer. Merry Christmas!'?"

Kurt and Noah were settled in front of the TV, which they had given up watching as they tried to catch up on everything that had happened with the two of them since the last time they met.

Kurt just rolled his eyes, while shaking his head, as if trying to clear his head. He sighed. "My dad doesn't know Blaine cheated."

Noah nearly jumped in his seat. "What?"

Kurt just shrugged.

"Kurt, isn't that something you tell the people close to you?"

Kurt sighed. "I don't know… I've just never wanted him to worry too much about me."

"Clearly," Noah scoffed, a sarcastic tone remaining very much present in his voice. Noticing Kurt's uncomfortable facial expression, he pulled himself together… "Sorry," he said curtly, - "I just thought he would know."

Kurt gave a weak smile. "He just thinks the long-distance became too much for us. That is what he knows about the break-up."

Noah nodded solemnly. They didn't really talk about Blaine all that much. Noah never brought it up, because in all aspects, if he had, it would make him a hypocrite, seeing as he slept with different people all the time. Kurt never brought it up because he didn't think it was necessary.

"Blaine, is he…" Noah made a hand gesture as if to figuring out what to say, - "Is he trying to get back together with you?"

"Seems like it," Kurt replied with a vague shrug, before he looked at Noah, - "It's not gonna happen, though."

Noah smiled and grabbed Kurt's hand ever so casually. "I wouldn't hold it against you if it did," he answered, - "What you and Blaine had, I mean… It meant something, right?"

Kurt thought about it for a while, before he nodded. "Yeah, he's my first love, so of course it did," he admitted, - "But I'm not gonna go and just pretend like he didn't hurt me more than anyone ever has. That would be ridiculous."

Noah nodded. "Yeah, I get that," he said slowly.

Kurt decided to suddenly change the subject. "So… You were home for Thanksgiving?"

"Yeah," Noah scratched his chin, - "That was quite the experience. Quinn went all Queen B on me."

Kurt gave him a look. "No way?"

"Way," Noah answered with a raise of his eyebrows. "Kinda implied that I was the biggest mistake of her life." He ran a hand over his shaved head. "Again."

Kurt looked skeptical. "I thought you were cool now?"

Noah shrugged. "You never know with Quinn," he sighed, - "One minute she has changed and is this mature person, and the next she is the same crazy bitch she was even before I knocked her up. I mean… I guess she has her issues, and as a friend, I guess I want to help her, but…"

"But you don't help people whose favorite hobby is to bring you down," Kurt finished.

"Exactly," Noah retorted, giving Kurt a playful slap on the thigh in the process. There was a silence between them, before Noah asked: "Do you think Blaine was using your dad's illness to get closer to you?"

Kurt had in all honesty considered that to be an option, but he hadn't really wanted to express his concerns about the matter, even to himself. Having Noah state it out loud as well, he couldn't help but think that maybe he wasn't so paranoid about Blaine's persistence after all.

He gave a shrug. "Sounds harsh, but maybe. He claimed that he was gonna take care of dad while I'm 'not there'."

Noah frowned. "Doesn't your dad have Finn for that?" he asked, thinking for a while, before adding: "And why the hell does Blaine continue to make you feel bad about leaving for New York, when _he_ told you to go?"

Kurt gave a short laugh at the absurdity of it all: All the time while Noah had been away, he had had those exact same thoughts himself, but never wanted to utter any of them out of fear of being shamed or feeling guilty about them. That was one of the things he loved the most about Noah: He kept it real and told it like it was. He didn't try to sugarcoat anything, and Kurt found himself wondering if that was exactly what he had been missing in his life. Someone who says out loud the things he hasn't dared to say.

He shook his head. "I have no idea," he admitted, and Noah could just laugh at that.

"He's weird," he prompted, and Kurt laughed as he rested his head on Noah's shoulder, cuddling up closer. Their apartment was getting cold now that the winter was here, and as he felt the cold of Noah's hand, he figured he wasn't the only one noticing.

"We need a blanket," Kurt insisted, before he stood up and walked into his bedroom to grab one. As he walked back into the living room, he noticed the pathetic skip in his steps. Damn, he really _was_ that happy about having Noah here.

Crawling back on the couch, he cuddled up against the other man, wrapping the blanket around them both in the process. There was a long silence, and for a moment both thought the other had fallen asleep, before Kurt decided to ask: "Have you ever lost anyone important to you?"

Noah gave him a look as asking whether or not he was particularly sane, and Kurt corrected himself: "I don't mean like that, I mean… To death."

Noah corrected him: "You mean to cancer." It wasn't a question and Kurt blushed.

"Yeah, I guess."

Noah gave a nod. "Yeah, I mean… I guess, I was very little at the time, but my ma lost her brother to cancer when I was five."

"Oh?"

Noah pulled Kurt a bit closer. "Yeah, I mean… I only remember her telling me my uncle had gotten really sick, and I knew the word death and what it meant, so I kinda did the math. I was too little to be able to imagine what it would be like, though."

"Was it hard?" Kurt couldn't help but ask.

"Look," Noah said, - "That situation was very different from your dad's, okay? He's the person closest to you, and you are old enough to comprehend all the shit that's going on with him. So no, compared to your situation, it wasn't."

Kurt nodded slowly. What Noah had claimed made sense. He found himself getting mad at whoever had called him stupid, because they clearly knew nothing of what they were talking about.

"He said they caught it early and that he stands a good chance of surviving, so…" Kurt shrugged, - "I want to hope so badly that it will be fine, but… You never know, right?"

Noah shrugged and pulled Kurt tighter. "No matter what, I'm here for you if you need me. Okay?"

Kurt nodded into his chest. "I know."

There was yet another long silence settling between them, as they lay there in the dimmed light of Kurt's apartment, only accompanied by the loud sounds coming from the city.

"So how's that brother you never knew you had?" Kurt asked. He had known there was something screaming Puckerman during Jake's audition, and all the pieces had sort of fit together as he'd learned that he was, indeed, Noah's brother.

Noah gave a chuckle. "He's fine, really," he stated, - "He still thinks he's a badass, but he's much better than I was back in sophomore year. He'll be fine."

Kurt admired how easy it had been for Noah to take his half-brother under his wing, but he figured having a dad abandoning you would do that to you.

"You're getting along?"

Noah nodded. "Yeah, we are. And our mothers too, believe it or not."

"No way?"

"It's true," Noah insisted, - "Seriously, as my mom finally could trash-talk my father with someone other than when she's been yelling at me for looking like him… I mean, that was, like, the first time I've seen her smile in I don't even know how long…"

Kurt gave Noah a look. In all honesty, the way the other man threw away comments like that as if they didn't matter, did concern him a little, but he didn't really want to comment on it either. He just cuddled up even closer.

"Glad everything's changing for the better," he said.

"Me too," Noah responded.

There was yet another long silence, before Noah let out an annoyed scoff. "But I can't believe they fucking lost Sectionals."

Kurt shook his head. "Neither can I," he agreed, - "I mean, now it's all over… Imagine if we never had Glee club, I mean… Where would we even be?" He let out a sigh. "I don't even wanna think about it."

Noah shivered a little, whether it was from the cold of the apartment or just the thought of where he'd be, he didn't really know. "Same." He changed the subject again. "Are Rachel and… What's that dude she's dating…?"

"Brody?" Kurt asked.

"Yeah… Are they gonna be out all day?"

Kurt gave a smile. "She won't be home until late, no. Why?"

Noah gave a very satisfied grin that Kurt knew only meant one thing.

"I know what we'll be doing tonight, then."

Kurt definitely liked the sound of that.

**PK**

Quite right. Half an hour later, they had moved from the couch to Kurt's bedroom. Noah was lying on top of Kurt, in the process of removing his shirt, as Kurt, who had already gotten Noah's shirt off, had started on his jeans. The heat from each other's bodies made sure that the apartment didn't feel quite as cold as it had earlier anymore.

Noah struggled with Kurt's jeans as he moved downwards, and Kurt let out a short giggle at his attempt, as he lifted his hips to give Noah better access. "You and those fucking jeans," Noah chuckled with a shake of his head. Noah got other things on his mind as he removed Kurt's boxers and got a view of his dick. "Hello there," he muttered and Kurt rolled his eyes.

"Were you just talking to my dick?"

Noah didn't even answer before he leaned down and gave a tentative lick to the tip of Kurt's length, having the paler man instantly buckle his hips up against him. "Steady there, princess," Noah said teasingly, as he pulled away, only to keep Kurt's hips down. When Kurt had finally calmed down a little, his erection still standing to attention, he went back in position and just planted a few, gentle kisses to the tip of Kurt's cock.

Kurt grabbed the sheets beside his pillow in pure pleasure as he writhed underneath Noah's, in Kurt's experience, all too gentle touch, knowing Noah would tease the shit out of him if he buckled his hips or in any way tried to crave more.

"Fuck, Noah," he swore despite himself, (and Kurt rarely swore), - "If you don't move soon, you aren't getting any after this."

That did him in. "Have it your way," he said with a satisfied smirk, as he opened his mouth widely and slowly took the entirety Kurt's length in his mouth, inch by inch.

"Oh GOD!" Kurt yelled out, and Noah caressed his thighs with his hands, in a hopeless attempt at calming him down. "Noah, more…"

Noah smiled around him and hollowed his cheeks, as he pulled back, leaving only the head of Kurt's cock in his mouth, twirling his tongue around the tip, making Kurt let out a yelp, before he sunk down again. This time Kurt buckled his hips, and Noah didn't even bother stopping him.

Kurt was in complete ecstasy. This was the overall third time he and Noah had sex, and somehow, everything with Noah was so much more exciting than it ever had been with Blaine. Blaine and he had both been inexperienced, and their sex had somehow always just stayed plain and never went past regular exploring. Noah seemed to know exactly what he was doing, knew how to hit all Kurt's right spots.

And, fuck he knew how to give a good blowjob!

Kurt was in total heat as Noah started going faster, and God, if that wasn't a sight for sore eyes! Noah's teeth scraped gently against the sensitive skin of his member.

"Noah…," he whimpered, - "I'm gonna…"

Taking the hint, immediately, Noah let Kurt's length slip from his mouth, as he got on top of him, pulling him into a sloppy kiss, letting him taste a bit of his own pre-cum on his tongue.

"See how fucking good you taste?"

Kurt just blushed, because how the hell do you answer a question like that?

Noah suddenly propped down on the bed, laying down on his back, as he gently managed to maneuver Kurt on top of him. "Mind doing it this way tonight?"

Kurt smirked. "You like that position, don't you?"

Noah shrugged in a way that would've been casual, if it wasn't for the erection and the heavy panting he was in possession of. "With you, I do."

A weird kind of warmth settled over Kurt, before he pulled himself back together. "Never really thought Noah Puckerman would bottom for anyone."

Noah rolled his eyes. "You never expected me to swing both ways," he inquired.

Kurt shrugged. "I had my suspicions," he said, and Noah decided not to question that.

"Whatever?" he shot, - "Besides, I'm still a badass. If the guys back in Lima saw this, they'd all be getting their ass cherries popped before 2012's even over."

Now it was Kurt's turn to roll his eyes. "You're such a dick."

Noah smirked, as he shifted slightly, spreading his legs wider, and wrapped his legs around Kurt's waist, pulling him closer. "Yeah, but I'm _your _dick…"

He gave a swift stroke to Kurt's still very much evident erection, causing Kurt to choke on a moan.

"Judging from your actions, you _want _my dick," Kurt retorted.

Noah pulled Kurt in for another kiss. "You know it." His voice was more whispered now, and hoarser, which made Kurt's cock jump almost instantly.

"Noah…," he whispered between breaths, - "I don't have any lube…"

Noah rolled his eyes and motioned to the end of the bed. "It's in my bag," he said, and Kurt quickly hurried over to get it. Admiring the view he got as Kurt bended over to get the lube from the bag, Noah stated: "Not my fault you're living in celibacy."

Kurt gave him a bitch glare. "Actually, it is."

Puck gave him a look that Kurt couldn't quite interpret, but it was somewhat similar to guilt, if he was allowed to judge. He guessed Noah's mind flickered back to how he currently wasn't able to give Kurt the same kind of exclusivity or establishment of their relationship as Kurt was providing him. In that moment Kurt wanted to take away that guilt.

Luckily Noah quickly pulled himself together as if nothing was wrong. They were both good at that – good at pretending like nothing was wrong. "Oh, shut the fuck up and get back here!"

His tone was light and Kurt hurried back between his legs as if he belonged there. "Impatient, are we?"

Noah just pulled him in for another kiss and yet again used his toned legs to pull him tighter.

Kurt smothered some lube onto his fingers, rubbing his hands together and heating them up in the process, before he lowered his right hand to Noah's opening, circling his hole gently for a few seconds, before patiently shoving his middle finger in, prompting a choked moan from the other man.

He felt Noah's walls clench around him as he allowed him to adjust, before he provided the same treatment with his ring finger. Noah bit his lower lip not to groan obnoxiously. "Fuck Kurt," he breathed, and Kurt just simply loved this feeling; being able to reduce big, badass Noah Puckerman to a disheveled mess of moans and heavy breaths on his bed. Sure, Kurt was a hopeless romantic in all definitions of the word, but somehow, even this was romantic. He wasn't stupid or naïve; he knew what Noah did for a living and the essences of it, and he knew that he wasn't the only one given this opportunity. But what he completely trusted with no doubt whatsoever, and that he in his heart knew was true, was that Noah let him, and only him do this to him _because he wanted to_, and not because he was paid for it. And that meant something. Scratch that. That meant everything.

"More, Kurt…"

And Kurt wasn't hesitant to obey that wish. He inserted a third finger, this time a little more hurried and rougher than the last, and Noah instantly pushed against his fingers as all three of them hit his prostate. "Oh God…," his voice was trembling now, and it made Kurt harden right away. "Kurt…," he panted,- "Fuck me… Please…"

Kurt wanted to tease him so badly, wanted to finger him just a bit more, having him rock back against his fingers, whining and begging impatiently for more, but he just couldn't. He was so hard it was painful, and Noah sure as hell wasn't helping the situation.

Applying the remains of the lube from his hands to his cock, he braced himself on top of Noah, grabbed his cock in his hand and inserted just the tip of it to Noah's opening. He pushed in slightly, immediately causing Noah's panting to grow heavier. He watched in near awe as the tanned man's chest heaved and calmed down with the breaths, as he felt him adjust to the feeling of Kurt inside him.

"Move," he ordered, and Kurt pushed in further, slowly.

Noah admittedly wasn't entirely used to this; the patience, that look in Kurt's eyes he didn't really know what was… It was all so very different from what he used to do for money. Or what he let people do to him for money. He figured he liked it. Fuck it, he more than liked it!

He clenched around the smaller man's length, prompting a soft moan from Kurt at the almost painfully pleasant feeling, and Noah lifted his hips, skillfully causing Kurt to hit his prostate after the first thrust. He cried out at the feeling, and as Kurt pulled back and pushed into him a second time, he muffled his cries by pulling Kurt in for an open-mouthed, heated kiss.

Kurt pulled back again after that, before yet again sinking into the tight heat of the other man. Noah buckled his hips, yet again causing Kurt to hit that spot inside of him that made him see stars. Kurt pulled out and slammed back again, and then neither of them had any coherent thoughts anymore. Kurt kept going at a more frantic pace, and Noah continued to beg him with everything he was to fuck him _faster, harder, more and oh fuck! Right there…, _until he simply couldn't form anymore and there was only the sound of panting, shuttered breath and skin on skin filling the air.

They had missed this so fucking much. Missed each other. Missed that feeling of unison, of complexity, safety, compassion and – dared they even say it? Of love.

Kurt was the first to topple over the edge, and the feeling of Kurt emptying himself inside of him, made Noah clench violently around the smaller man's length, as he too came with a vengeance, both giving their cry of the other's name as they did so.

"Fuck…," Noah breathed as Kurt practically fell down on top of him. He wrapped his arms around the smaller man and covered them with the blanket that somewhere along the way had been kicked to the ground. "Damn Kurt, you're perfect…"

And Kurt could just smile at the warmth that settled through him as Noah states just that. Blaine had never complimented him much, for some reason, that wasn't even a secret. Noah never seemed to be able to compliment him enough. It was refreshing, in all aspects of the word.

There was a long silence settling between them, where they just simply laid there, wrapped around each other, and it was still the biggest, sappiest fucking cliché in the universe, but right then and there, it yet again didn't feel like anything really mattered anymore.

"I am not using you just to get over Blaine, you know," Kurt stated. It was a pretty bold statement, especially for Kurt. He was rarely the type to just blurt things out like that. He usually made Noah aware before he wanted to have some big, deep confrontation.

Still, the statement meant more to Noah than Kurt would probably ever know. If anything, Kurt could feel him breathe a sigh of relief, as if he never even knew he had been holding it.

"I know," he said with a short nod, - "Thanks."

Kurt gave a warm chuckle, as he patted Noah's chest gently. "No reason to thank me."

"With my fucked up relationship record, it is," Noah muttered, and Kurt didn't even think he even meant to say that out loud, so he let it be.

**PKPKPK**

Rachel had come home when they awoke the morning after, on December 31st, mind you, and being the morning person, she woke them up with an almost high-pitched sigh of: "Aww, look how cute the two of you are!"

Noah grabbed one of the two pillows that were resting under his head, and tossed it at her. "Go to hell, Berry," he muttered, and she just laughed.

"Look who's grumpy in the morning!" she cheered as she stalked over to the kitchen. Judging by the smell, Noah could at least be happy someone was making breakfast. But fuck, it was six am and they had the fucking day off.

Noah glanced down on Kurt who hadn't even moved from the position he had fallen asleep in. It was so girly, but he couldn't stop the smile that appeared on his face at the sight of Kurt sleeping with his own chest as a pillow. He almost unconsciously ran a hand through his hair, knowing there was no way he would get away with that if Kurt was awake.

"Wake up, baby," he demanded softly, planting a kiss to the boy's forehead. Kurt's eyes fluttered and he looked up at him sleepily. "Mmm…," he muttered something incoherently, - "Time is it?"

"Fucking six am," Noah complained, and Kurt just let out a whine as he buried his face in the tanned man's chest, ready to get some more sleep while he was ahead. "But Rachel's making breakfast."

Kurt quickly opened his eyes. "Really?"

"Really."

That caused Kurt to slowly raise himself from the warmth that Noah's body had provided all night, and he slipped into his favorite pajamas and stalked his way into the kitchen, before stopping on the halfway, turning to Noah. "Be decent and put clothes on before we eat, I mean, I love eating breakfast with you when you're only in your boxers, but Rachel is here."

Noah pulled off a mock-offended look, before he grinned cockily and pulled in a pair of sweats and a tank, and walked into the kitchen.

Rachel really did know how to make breakfast. They ate their pancakes in a silence that Rachel, surprise, surprise!, broke: "Aren't you proud of Kurt for getting into NYADA, Noah?" she asked with the biggest smile of the year plastered on her face.

Noah smiled over at Kurt. «Course I am,» he said, - «Didn't really come as a shock, though." He gave a grin he knew was gonna charm the hell out of both Kurt and Rachel.

"But why are you going back to Lima, Noah?" Rachel practically exclaimed, - "You have talent and ambition, you should embrace it!"

Noah gave a snort, even though he deep inside had to admit he appreciated her compliments. "Didn't work out," he stated as if it was final. And God, if he didn't hate that pitying look Rachel gave him. He liked the girl, and he knew she meant well, but it still didn't make anything any better.

"I have to admit I have wondered about the same thing, but I didn't really wanna ask," Kurt commented hesitantly, and Noah was grateful that his look was far less pitying.

Noah heaved a breath, about to answer, but Kurt obviously had more on his mind: "And don't give me the family thing, because your family can take care of themselves. That's not your responsibility."

Noah knew Kurt was right, at least to some extent. Sure, his family was and would always be his responsibility, but not to the point where he had to get stuck in his old hometown for the rest of his life just so he could take care of them.

"You heard me," he said with a shrug, as he twirled his fork around his plate for no apparent reason, - "LA didn't work out. I go back, so that's the end of it."

Kurt sighed, and Noah knew he had more to say, but he was glad Kurt seemed to let it go for now. A wild tackling of his own self-esteem issues was something he had no desire to discuss in the presence of Rachel Berry.

He knew Kurt would want to talk about this later on, and yeah, he could be down with that, but he still knew he would get the last word in that conversation. Because even if the pool-cleaning in Lima wasn't really pool-cleaning it would still be safer than it was in LA. And nothing Kurt said could change that.

"Don't settle for less, Noah," Kurt just said, and his was soft. Fuck, he hated when he did that. "Just don't."

Fine, so Kurt maybe didn't fight fair here either, because he would make this a "you are worth more than that"-fest, obviously, and Noah would go soft then, and fuck if he didn't hate that. But thankfully that was another worry for another time, and now he was just busy devouring the delicious breakfast Rachel had put together.

"Damn Rach, you know how to cook…," he complimented.

"Thanks," she smiled.

Noah gave Kurt a sly grin and a nudge, as he said: "Sorry Kurt, I think I picked the wrong person," he turned to Rachel, - "Or what do you say, my little Jewish-American princess, maybe we didn't give our relationship well enough of a shot?"

Kurt slapped Noah's bicep gently. "You're such a douche," he said with a shake of his head, and Noah just chuckled.

**PKPKPK**

"So, why are you really going back to Lima?"

The question approached as Kurt and Noah were out for a walk in Central Park a few hours later.

Noah heaved a sigh and sat down on a bench nearby. He patted the spot next to him lazily, indicating for Kurt to join him.

Kurt gently wiped away the snow that had located itself on the bench, before he got comfortable next to his boyfriend.

"It didn't work out," Noah said shortly, - "The LA thing."

Kurt frowned. He had already heard that part. "Didn't work out, how?" he questioned, - "With money and all, or…?"

If that was the case, then that was really damn strange, because Noah looked healthier now than he had when Kurt last visited him.

Noah shrugged, but then he slowly shook his head. "Nah… Not exactly."

"Then what?" Kurt prompted.

Noah gave a dry chuckle, and dragged his hand over his head. "Fuck Kurt, you know I'm not good at this feelings-shit…"

Kurt gave a somewhat warmer chuckle. "Try me," he said with a sly smirk.

Noah rolled his eyes, and almost unconsciously grabbed Kurt's hand. "Turns out I have some really messed up feelings for you, Kurt Hummel," he said.

Kurt lifted an eyebrow. "Good or bad?"

"Definitely good!" Noah said hurriedly, - "But not so good for my job…"

"What happened?" Kurt asked, before realizing he'd asked that yesterday.

"Nothing _happened," _Noah stated yet again, sounding just a bit annoyed, - "I just can't fucking stop thinking about you. I feel fucking disgusting when I do it… When I fuck people for money. You don't deserve this shit in your life… Last week I had to take four shots of Jack to even be able to go through with it…" At Kurt's raised eyebrow, he stated: "Fake ID and all…"

"Then stop doing it," Kurt retorted, - "If it makes you feel so awful, then stop."

Noah was about to throw a comment right back in Kurt's face about how it wasn't that easy, but right then he realized that Kurt had spoken to him in a matter that wasn't judgmental. He'd been firm, sure, as he always was when talking about this issue that was impacting both their lives, to a various extent. But the look on Kurt's face was one of compassion, and that somehow changed everything.

Noah could just shrug. "No one will probably wanna hire me anyway… Not with my record."

Kurt gave him a light smile. "Not in Lima, they won't," he agreed, and Noah looked at him then. That was just the thing about Kurt that made him so incredible: He stood there by your side no matter, but he wasn't sugarcoating anything when giving advice. He _made sure _the path ahead of you was clear.

Noah gave a crooked smile in return. "Maybe not."

"Remember who you are, Noah," Kurt said silently, glancing unconsciously over to a family of a mother and two kids who were playing in the park, - "You've always known deep inside that you are destined for bigger things than Lima."

"Well, maybe I was wrong," Noah shot in, but his voice wasn't angry. It was rather calm, and Kurt figured he had also caught glimpse of the family in the park, - "Dreams don't always come true. Not for everyone."

Kurt sighed. "They might for you," he stated, and Noah just scoffed.

Okay, so if Kurt was going to be fairly honest, this was getting exhausting. Noah wasn't fishing for compliments or recognition. At least not directly. Maybe he hoped that someday someone would convince him otherwise about everything he thought about himself, but honestly, that was so unlikely to happen, that he had practically given up that battle a long time ago.

Noah really felt this bad about himself, and Kurt knew that giving a pep-talk was so not the way to go.

"They might," he insisted, - "I mean… I was at Dalton back then, but according to certain sources you wrote a song to Lauren without being serious, and the song was actually good."

"'Big Ass Heart'," Noah recalled with a grin, - "That was epic."

Kurt gave a smile that softly faded. "I wish I could've spent most of junior year with all of you."

"Me too," Noah nodded, - "Those uniforms were the biggest cock blocks. They hid all your best assets, if you know what I mean." He winked.

Kurt rolled his eyes. Leave it to Noah Puckerman to narrow everything down to how devastating it was that he didn't get what he wanted in the sex department.

"Seriously, Noah," Kurt said, as he stood up, wrapping his coat around himself, more than ready to head back to the comfort of somewhere warm, - "Consider it. As you've very well noticed now, there's room for more than one person in my bed."

Noah gave his signature cocky grin at that. "Oh, I know, Princess," he said, lowering his voice a bit, definitely adding to the goose bumps that were already forming on Kurt's skin due to the cold weather.

Kurt rolled his eyes despite himself. "Come on, let's go grab some bagels."

Noah licked his lips almost unconsciously. "Damn, I really do love you."

Kurt reached for his hand. "Of course you do, darling."

**PK**

As they walked home after having eaten their bagels in contentment, Noah was silent. Painfully so, as a matter of fact. He had been checking something on his phone from time to time again, but other than that Kurt couldn't for the life of him comprehend what had set the other man off.

"Something wrong?" Kurt asked, as he quickly texted Rachel, actively planning how the evening and night would play out.

Noah was seated in front of the TV again, just randomly browsing through channels, not really seeming all that interested in it. He shrugged. "Nah, I'm good."

Kurt gave him his best 'cut the bullshit'-look. "No, you're not," he retorted.

Noah didn't answer, and Kurt just sighed, getting up from his spot on the couch. "I'm meeting Rachel and Brody for lunch." Noah looked at him. "Wanna come with?"

He shook his head vaguely. "I'm good, you go ahead."

Kurt knew it wasn't a déjà vu, simply because he _knew _he had heard those words from Noah before. Not even eight months ago, as a matter of fact, as he, Blaine, Rachel and Finn had hit the prom, and Noah and Becky were left in the motel room. That seemed so endlessly long ago now, but neither of them had been stupid: They'd all known Noah hadn't been as okay as he pretended to be back then.

Another memory flickered in Kurt's mind right then: The memory of the united awed sigh that had ran through the old gymnastic hall as Becky Jackson had entered with Noah Puckerman on her arm. Kurt himself had felt an odd sense of pride right then for his very much redeemed former bully.

And as his mind went back there, he _knew _what he had tried to convince Noah of over and over again for the past few weeks, had been true: He was worth it.

"No, you're not good," he said again, this time more persistent than before. He walked over, almost gesturing for Noah to make room for him on his lap, and sat down, feeling Noah's arms almost automatically finding their way around his waist. Planting a soft kiss to the other man's forehead, Kurt asked him to tell him what was wrong.

Noah gave a dry chuckle and shook his head as if to clear it. "Aw man…," he said, - "It's nothing really, it's just…"Kurt leaned down a little, trying to get a grip of the look on Noah's face. He looked like he was contemplating how to put his words. Then his hands loosened a bit, going to rest on Kurt's thighs instead. "It's a new year, right? And… I don't know, I'm just thinking…"

"About what?" Kurt prompted.

"About Beth," Noah stated bluntly, and Kurt instantly took an intake of breath. Noah didn't really mention his biological daughter all that often, and Kurt sure as hell didn't want to bring her up. He didn't really know where Noah stood when it came to her; he knew nothing about Noah's stance on or relationship with her at all actually. He didn't know if Noah was still in touch with Shelby and Beth as much as he would like to, he didn't know if he considered himself Beth's dad, he didn't know anything.

"What about her?" he allowed himself to ask, but Noah didn't answer. Kurt took a deep breath, fearing Noah's reaction already before asking: "Do you keep in touch with her?"

Noah took a deep breath too now, and Kurt was happy Noah at least didn't push him away. "Not as much as I'd like to," he admitted, - "We're still allowed to see her, but I can just tell Shelby isn't all that comfortable with it, after all the crap I pulled."

"Meaning sleeping with her?" Kurt asked, prompting a nod from Noah.

"Hey," Kurt said firmly, as he saw Noah's reaction, and his voice had an edge to it now, - "Shelby was a grown woman, she could've refused your advances!"

Noah shrugged. "I don't blame her, have you seen what I'm equipped with?"

"I'm serious Noah!" Kurt exclaimed, - "Look, she's to blame, more so than you; you had sex with her because you had feelings for her, right?"

Noah shrugged. "Something like that," he agreed.

"Right," Kurt confirmed, - "And why did she give in? Did she have feelings for you?"

Noah looked mildly uncomfortable now, but Kurt couldn't stop himself. This was yet to be said. Noah mumbled something inaudibly.

"What was that?"

"I don't know, it was just something Quinn said," Noah explained, - "That Shelby thought being with an eighteen-year-old would make her feel eighteen again or something like that."

Kurt didn't look surprised; he just gave a solemn nod. "There you go," he said, - "See where I am going with this?"

"Not really."

Kurt grabbed a gentle hold on Noah's chin, forcing him to look at him. "That I am really freaking tired of people blaming _you_ for _their _mistakes, is where I am going with this," he said firmly.

Something flickered in Noah's eyes for a second, before he gave a small laugh that sounded quite genuine, and Kurt wasn't finished: "You've been a dick in your past, Noah," he said, - "But you don't deserve to be reduced to nothing more than 'someone's mistake'."

Noah sighed, and before Kurt really knew what was happening, he was pulled into a warm hug. "Thanks," Noah muttered in his ear, rubbing his back for a few seconds before pulling away.

There was a small break where no one said anything, but Noah quickly broke it: "So, about that lunch…?"

"Wanna go? I'm hungry," Kurt stated firmly.

Noah grinned. "Hell yeah, me too."

**PKPKPKPKPK**

Brody turned out to be a pretty cool guy, even by Puck's standards. He had to admit that when he thought about "a NYADA senior that Rachel was dating", he imagined an even more stuck-up version of Jesse St. James, but to be fair; Brody was cool, and Rachel, while being obviously interested in him, wasn't like a crazy stalker-fan girl around him like she had been with Finn all the while they had been dating, and while Puck usually didn't spend a lot of time dwelling in other people's business, he figured he liked that change in her.

Having spent about four months in LA, the New York winter felt particularly cold, and as he stood there in Times Square, he was literally shaking from the cold, despite having a jacket and a sweater on. "Aww, you're freezing!" was Kurt's taunting remark.

"Bullshit," he retorted, before a breeze drifted by, causing him to bury his face in his scarf as well as he could. "Too badass to freeze," he mumbled.

"What was that, couldn't quite hear it?" Kurt asked with a laugh.

"Fuck you okay?" Noah spat, but he had lightness to his voice that revealed that he was only kidding.

"Want me to heat you up?" Kurt whispered, lowering his voice in that sexy way he did that for some reason made Puck go crazy.

He raised his eyebrows suggestively. "You bet I do," he smirked, and Kurt just laughed, as he walked up to him and wrapped his arms completely around him, rubbing his hands up and down his arms rapidly.

"So not what I had in mind," Puck said with a laugh.

"But it's kinda nice, isn't it?"

Kurt just looked up at him, his icy blue eyes reflected in the lights of Times Square. Right then Noah found himself wondering how the hell he had gotten so fucking lucky all of a sudden.

"Kinda," he admitted with a cocky smirk, and Kurt just laughed, burying his face in his boyfriend's (because fuck yes, that is what they were – perverted clients in Lima and LA be damned!) chest.

An adoring squeal, not so different from the one she had thrown as she'd found them in bed together that morning, escaped Rachel again. "Aw, look at you two!" she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around Brody's waist. "Aren't they adorable?" she asked, looking up into Brody's eyes. It was apparent she had already gotten a bit too much to drink.

Seeing as Brody was legal, Puck hadn't needed to use his fake ID, which he in all honesty wondered how would work in New York. It had worked in LA, for some odd reason, but you never knew, right?

So Brody had bought a good amount of sparkling wine for all of them, which they had all devoured thirstily for the past three hours or so. And then, Rachel being the tiny person she was couldn't really hold her liquor very well, and was now going all needy-girl-drunk on Brody, who didn't really seem to mind.

Kurt seemed to hold his liquor surprisingly well, but then again, the boy had done some serious growing since the April Rhodes fiasco from sophomore year. Granted, Puck had only got to witness that with half an eye, seeing as he'd had somewhat more important issues on his hands than the fact that his torment victim-gone Glee mate had a drunken session, but he had known something was up as Kurt had cornered him in the hallway and accused him of killing Mufasa. How the boy had come to the conclusion that he was Scar, remained to this day unknown to Noah, but he figured fucking up so badly he was seen as a murderous Disney villain hadn't been his best move.

He hadn't really made all that many good moves. He figured he wanted to ask Kurt something he felt the need to know. Throwing a short glance over to where Rachel and Brody stood, now making out, Noah figured he didn't have much to lose. "Hey, Kurt?" he asked.

"Hmm?"

"Look, this is gonna sound so lame, but it's New Year's and I was just wondering…"

"Wondering what?"

"I mean…," Noah rubbed his hand over his head in a swift move, before wrapping it back around Kurt. "Look, even if I screw anything up… I mean, I'm not gonna cheat on you, I mean… Not behind your back or anything, but just little things, like… I'm kinda stupid, and say if I forget some shit, like our anniversary or something, or if I buy you some fattening shit, or if you find me staring at someone a little too long, would you still… gimme a chance? I mean…"

"Noah…," Kurt interrupted, and it wasn't until then that Noah realized he hadn't dared to meet his gaze as he'd been speaking. Now, however, Kurt was staring so intently at him, he was practically forcing him to look back. He saw nothing but that same compassion that somehow happened not be pitying in Kurt's eyes, and it made him feel about ten pounds lighter. "Noah, why are you asking me this? Of course I will let you screw up sometimes."

Noah shrugged. "I don't know, I just… I mean, Santana broke up with me back in sophomore year because of my credit score, but she wanted a pussy where I have a dick either way, so I guess that one speaks for itself. But Lauren, she broke up because I ruined her fucking reputation, Rachel wanted Finn, Shelby wanted to be pretty and I still have no clue what the fuck Quinn wanted, but I sure as hell wasn't it…"

Okay, so now the alcohol was really starting to have some sort an effect on him, seeing as it was now practically speaking _for_ him.

"Oh Noah," Kurt said again, having this look on his face for a second, that made it seem like everything Noah had just said made everything seem so hopeless, but he quickly got a firm look in his eyes: "Now, you listen to me, Noah Puckerman," he said fiercely, - "You're not stupid. Far from it. We all have flaws, and I love you despite _and because _of all of them." He slapped Noah lightly on the head, - "Now get that through your head, okay?"

Noah gave a small chuckle. "That's a yes, then?"

Kurt sighed. "For as long as you promise to do the same, yes."

Noah reached out his fist. "Deal," he said, as Kurt awkwardly bumped his own fist against him. Noah laughed at the uncomfortable look on Kurt's face at the gesture. Kurt then just leaned against his chest again, and Noah figured not much really mattered anymore.

Kurt found his boyfriend exhausting sometimes. Not necessarily in a bad way or in a way that told him he should just give up. He wasn't worth giving up, and it pained Kurt that Noah couldn't see that. He had always looked upon Quinn with disdain for the way she had treated him, but now he really wondered what was even wrong with that girl. He knew she had her own issues, but come on? How self-centered could one be? She really had to learn that the entire universe didn't twirl to make everything go her way.

Noah was probably the best thing that had happened to Kurt in a very long while; sure, he wasn't going to forget Blaine, but the way Blaine had cheated without even coming up with as much as a proper apology besides "you weren't there", kind of made all the aspects of their relationship seem instantly less important.

Noah was far from perfect, but he was a damn good person, and if Kurt had to spend every minute of every day reminding him of that somehow, he would gladly do it until Noah finally believed at least some of it.

Entangling himself hesitantly from Noah for a second, Kurt reached for his phone just to check the time. It was nearing 11:45 already. Time flew when you had been drinking some. Some mediocre singer was belting out a song on a stage that sounded close and far away at the same time, the commercial signs of Times Square were shifting as always, but everything looked just utterly magical as of right now.

"Hey guys?!" Rachel yelled, and Noah felt sorry for Brody who had to stand so damn close to her.

"What?"

"Gimme your New Year's resolutions!"

"I wanna see my dad get better," Kurt replied instantly, - "Do well at NYADA and manage to combine school and work properly."

"Oooh, reasonable now, huh?" Noah grinned.

"What're yours though, Noah?" Rachel asked.

"I don't make resolutions," Noah shrugged, - "No one ever manages to keep them anyway."

"That's the charm," Brody insisted, - "That's what makes it fun at the end of the year. At the beginning of 2012, I told myself I would be more economically structured, and well… That didn't happen."

Noah chuckled. "Guess I'll just take better care of everyone who gives a crap about me. Gotta do something in return, right?"

"I'm gonna impress Cassy!" Rachel chimed, - "Somehow, I will."

"Good luck," Brody chuckled disbelievingly.

"What about you, Brody?" Rachel asked, wrapping her arms firmer around him.

"I'm gonna graduate," he claimed, - "And then I want to make this work between me and you, throughout the rest of the year," and the bright smile that appeared on Rachel's face at that comment definitely clarified that he had said something right.

They just stood there for a while more, chatting about all or nothing, until they were interrupted by a deep voice talking in a microphone – the same "far but still not that far away"-tone persistent:

"Listen up, everybody. We have one minute left until the New Year is finally here. Let's do the count down together!"

The yell of an uncountable number of voices chanting the countdown filled the air, and finally the fireworks were shot into the sky, as people were applauding, cheering and laughing. Rachel brought Brody into a fierce kiss, and Kurt grabbed a hold of Noah's face and pressed his lips softly to his. "Happy new year, Noah," he whispered.

"Happy new year, babe."

Noah was slowly but surely comprehending just how fucking lucky he had gotten since November. No one had ever paid this much attention to his well-being in any of the short-lived relationships he'd been in. No one had ever sworn to give him a chance or the benefit of the doubt at anything, least of all in case he screwed up in any way.

He decided not to think about it too much, because with the amount he had been drinking flowing through to his brain at the moment, he would stand the chance of getting choked up and he was not having that right now. So he just pulled his boyfriend in for a tight embrace after the kiss and attempted to pull it off as a casual gesture.

Rachel grazed herself out of Brody's hold then and walked the few steps over to them, stumbling a bit as she was walking in high heels.

"Happy new year, you two!" she said, wrapping her arms around Kurt, planting a kiss to his cheek in the process, before walking over to Noah, having to stand tip-toe to be able to hug him properly. Brody walked over too, and wrapped Kurt in a light, hug before pulling Puck in for a bro-hug. "Happy new year, guys," he greeted.

**PK**

After the celebration in Times Square, which they left around 4 am, they all went back to Kurt and Rachel's apartment to celebrate. They were mostly just sitting in the living room, having a few laughs about absolutely nothing. Rachel's fairly varied iTunes shuffle was playing in the background.

The girl in question was eagerly telling stories from back when the three of them were still in the New Directions, for the time being in a deep exploration of that time Jesse and Vocal Adrenaline threw eggs at her. Kurt was practically laying in Noah's lap, and judging by how increasingly heavy he was starting to feel, he was about to fall asleep.

"Oh, and then there was that time…," Rachel started off, but Noah kind of blocked her out unintentionally as his attention flickered to the angelic, sleeping form resting in his lap, Rachel's chattering only drifting to a distant noise in the back of his head.

He was getting dizzy now, but it didn't really matter much. He would be going to bed soon either way, and he was far too tired to do anything stupid. He unconsciously tangled his hand in Kurt's hair, prompting something that reminded him of a purr from the other boy, and he chuckled vaguely.

"Wanna go to bed, baby?" he asked as he stroked Kurt's hair.

"Mmmm…," Kurt whined, but Noah thought that was a nod he saw from him, so he stood up on shaky legs and grabbed a hold on his boyfriend, lifting him from the ground, and Kurt gave a surprised that would have been a squeal if his voice hadn't dropped an octave or two thanks to his fatigue.

"Come here now," Noah spoke quietly, - "Let's get you in bed."

"Mmm… Clothes…," Kurt mumbled and Noah just laughed.

"We'll get them off you, now, come on." He cocked his head in the bedroom's direction, before realizing that Kurt probably didn't grasp his body language at the moment, and figured he would have to physically guide the sloppy form into the bedroom. "Okay," he heaved a sigh that sounded almost defeated, - "There we go... Woah, watch the threshold, baby..:"

Kurt tumbled into the room and slumped down on the bed. Damn, he really was tired. "Your clothes?" Noah questioned.

"Mmm…, "Kurt whined again, trying and failing to wrap the covers around himself, - "I'm good…"

Noah rolled his eyes, suspecting that tomorrow he wouldn't be, but he was far too tired and tipsy to even argue. He undressed quickly, tossed his clothes to the floor, and joined Kurt on the bed, wrapping the covers more properly around his boyfriend. "There we go," he said more to himself.

"Night babe."

"Nht…"

So they fell asleep side by side, Rachel's chattering fading into nothing in the background.

**PK**

Kurt and Noah went out for lunch the next day, and both were uncharacteristically quiet. They hit the closest and cheapest café they could find. Both assumed the other's lack of speaking came due to a heavy hangover, but the reality was that both of them had more on their plates than they had told the other.

They ordered their food, and stayed silent. The quietness between them wasn't exactly uncomfortable, but it was still noticeable. Neither of them had the desire to talk, as they were lost in their own thoughts.

"Wow, I say you two are quiet…," the waitress said, and she was probably a little weird, because even Noah understood that dwelling around in people's business like that was wildly inappropriate, but they both just chuckled, and heaved an awkward sigh each, that made them both laugh, if just for a moment.

As the waitress walked off, Noah finally broke the silence: "So, uh… What's up?"

Kurt shrugged and then let out a sigh. "Thinking, about my dad and all…," he admitted, giving Noah a firm look. "And you?"

Noah folded his hands awkwardly on the table. "Still haven't heard from Shelby and Beth," he said, - "She sent this long mail last year and I haven't gotten one this year."

He gave a crooked smile that didn't look the least bit happy.

"Maybe she's just late?" Kurt tried, but that sounded weak to him too.

"Maybe," Noah confirmed, and the disbelief in his voice was far too evident for him to mean it.

"Why are we messed up?" Kurt questioned with a chuckle, taking a zip of his sparkling water.

"Oh, you aren't messed up, baby; you've just had really shitty things happen to you that you couldn't control. I, on the other hand, have dug my own grave a dozen times."

Kurt sighed. "Shelby saw you with Beth," he stated, - "Knowing how much you love her, I can only assume you were good with her. She has no reason to keep you from her. No one ever had that reason, actually."

Noah dug into his food. "It is what it is," he stated, as if putting an end to the discussion.

There was another break settling, but Noah broke it after taking a zip of his water. "You know, even though I don't get what you're going through, I'll… listen or whatever, if you wanna talk about all the shit with your dad"

Kurt gave a grateful smile. "Thanks," he said sincerely.

"Anytime. I just wanted you to know."

Kurt nodded. "I just think I need time to figure this out on my own first. I don't think it really has settled with me yet," he admitted truthfully.

Noah just nodded. "Take your time."

They continued to devour their food in silence. "It's a new year," Noah said suddenly, and Kurt didn't really think he even meant to state that out loud.

"It is… It's a new year."

**PKPK**

Noah was going back to Lima on January 5th. The day before, as Noah was packing, Kurt decided to just come out and say it: "I still don't want you to go on with your pool-cleaning business."

Noah turned to look at him. "I know," he said silently, - "I know you don't…"

"Not only because of that," Kurt stated firmly, - "I know you don't feel anything for your…" he made a hand-gesture as if afraid of even saying the word, knowing what it truly meant, - "clients." He took a step closer, looking straight at Noah, and holy hell, when Kurt gave him that fierce look it meant war, and not the kind he was good at or familiar with: The 'I am gonna tell you off by chatting in detail about your feelings'-kind of war. "That's my point, Puck," he stated, interpreting every word, and Noah tried to hide the sting he felt by Kurt using his first name. He knew Kurt only did it to make him listen, though. Oh yeah, the boy could be a bitch. "You hate it."

It wasn't a question. "Am I right?"

Noah scowled.

Kurt gave a nod that was the definition of 'thought so'. "For God's sake!" he exclaimed, almost losing his composure, but he pulled himself together quickly enough not to let any rawer emotions than firmness show. "You were fifteen when you started this shit, Noah. That isn't an adult making a decision on how to make a living – that is child-prostitution. Middle-aged women, and hell if I know, maybe there were men too, paid a kid to fuck them."

Kurt had sworn twice during his rant, and if that didn't mean he was serious, Noah didn't know what did. He figured he had never paid much attention to the fact that he was underage by the laws of nearly all lands and states of the world when he started this business, but when Kurt put it like that, it sort of made his teenage life sound like a tragedy. He would have protested, fought back, argued… But he couldn't. For once in his life, Noah Puckerman was spellbound, because what Kurt had said, despite Noah's attempts through the last four years at convincing himself otherwise, was pure, uncloaked accuracy.

Here it was: The truth. The truth that he had been a kid not knowing what the hell he had been doing, as he had been cleaning Mrs. Feldberg's pool one second, and found himself pressed down on her mattress, with her hands and body all over him the next.

The truth that he had never really liked it; sure, he'd gotten off, and for a teenager to get paid for sex would sound like the best deal ever, but despite the fact that sex was sex and sex was good, there had always been that enormous, empty feeling that just seemed to increase like a tumor. The feeling that also carried a voice that sounded suspiciously like his father, telling him he was completely and utterly worthless.

And here was Kurt, standing before him as a total counterpart to that voice, telling him that everything he had told himself in terms of both his profession and himself in general had been wrong. And for once in his lifetime, Noah found himself certain that one day, he would truly also grow up and believe that.

He figured Kurt was still ranting about something, but he didn't really know what, and he didn't really care either, as the biggest smile he'd had in a while was about to appear on his face.

"What the hell are you laughing at?"

"You," Noah said, - "I fucking love you!"

Kurt yelled out as Noah wrapped his arms around him in a hug. "What the hell has gotten into you? I am mad at you!"

Noah laughed and grabbed a hold of Kurt's face. "I'll try, okay?" he promised, - "I'll try to quit this, or to get a new job, although people with my record don't really get much going for them in that department."

"Really?" Kurt asked, sounding skeptical as ever.

"Really," Noah promised.

"You're not just saying that?" Kurt questioned.

Noah shook his head. "I'm not."

Kurt gave him yet another skeptical look, but then it broke into a smile. "Good," he said, - "Guess I am good at convincing people."

Noah laughed. "You damn right are." He stole a quick kiss from him, before he turned to pack his bags.

**PK**

Of course no one hired in Lima. They all pretty much cringed as soon as they heard his name, and the use of the word 'all' didn't even make the statement an exaggeration.

So he had to go back to his pool-cleaning, even if he hated it. On the 'upside', though, it turned out there were a lot of closeted older guys in Lima, who had pools, and now that he finally could accept the fact to both himself and others that God hadn't made him that awesome for just half the population, that shouldn't be a problem.

Turned out it kind of was, nevertheless.

The real instinct kicked in at the most unfortunate of times; he found himself at the place of a middle-aged couple whose sex life evidently sucked so bad they had to drag a nineteen-year-old into it to even make it function. Anyway, as he lay on the bed, the dude's cock laying heavily in his mouth and the woman's pussy milking him for what he was worth – and oh, the irony of that sentence – it kicked in that Kurt had been right:

He really fucking hated this.

As the 100-dollar bill (at least he prized higher than when he left Lima now) was shoved into the front of his jeans and he was shown out, he sprinted over to his car, drove for about a mile, walked out and puked his guts out. As he got in the car, he started crying. He didn't even know what had caused the tears to fall – not really. All he knew was that he hated himself right then and there.

_I can't do this anymore._

**PKPKPKPKPK**

Kurt was walking off from his first week at NYADA as his phone rang. Smiling slightly at the name that showed on the screen, he picked up.

"Where are you?" came Noah's voice and it sounded light, for a change.

"Uhhmm… New York? Where did you think I was?"

"Uh-huh…," Noah drawled, and there was almost a chuckle there now, and Kurt found himself wondering if his boyfriend had truly lost his mind, - "Where in New York?"

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Why the hell is that important? I am walking towards the subway from NYADA now."

"Cool," Noah greeted, almost artificially creating a silence between them.

"Noah, what's going on?" Kurt asked.

"I quit," Noah explained lightly.

"You quit…?" Kurt didn't dare to hope.

"The pool-cleaning," Noah clarified, and Kurt could practically hear him roll his eyes, - "I quit. So you are an idiot, because you told me I could crash on your bed until I got back on my feet."

"Wait a minute…," Kurt quirked, - "You're in New York?"

"Damn right. I am heading for your apartment right now, actually."

Kurt let out a loud 'I KNEW IT!', and in the heat of the moment he dropped the phone.

"What the fuck was that?!" came Noah's voice from the phone.

"Nothing, I just… This is so great, Noah!" Kurt exclaimed, - "I am looking forward to seeing you home!"

"Me too, princess," Noah promised, and his voice was softer now, - "Me too."

"Okay…," Kurt drawled, not really willing to hang up.

"Kay…"

"I love you," Kurt stated, - "I know it's stupid to say that just because you don't have anything else to say, but I really do!"

Noah chuckled. "It's cool," he assured, - "I love you too."

**PKPKPK**

Noah Puckerman knew a life in New York wouldn't be easy, but fuck it; he was Noah fucking Puckerman. He could do this.

And as he walked through the streets of New York that day, off to a new home, a new future, a new relationship and a new life, he was also leaving his troubled teen years behind. He had finally grown up.

He was finally where he was supposed to be.

**A/N: That's it, folks! It became a happy ending, after all.**


End file.
